Meroe was the southern capital of the Kushite Kingdom, or Napata/Meroitic Kingdom, that spanned the period c. 800 BC. - c. 350 AD. The culture of Meroe developed from the XXV Dynasty of the Ancient Egypt, and its importance gradually increased starting the so called “Meroitic Period”.
The Kingdom of Meroe is also known for the role of the Queens called “Candaces” who were as strong as their royal husbands as we can well see in the inscriptions found in the many temples and Kiosks. In total there are around 100 pyramids, although some are in complete ruin.
The largest pyramid at Meroe is just under 30 meters high. The site is divided into two main clusters the Southern cemetery which houses over 60 pyramids and the Northern cemetery which houses over 30 pyramids. Whilst you are likely to have this sight more or less to yourselves, it is possible to buy some souvenirs from craftsmen outside the pyramids, such as knives, coffee pots, jewellery etc.
Watch out for the local wells, when you will come across the most fabulous sight of camels, donkeys, goats and Nomads around a water hole, using a pulley system to draw the water up, not only to quench the thirst of the animals, but also to fill goat skins with water to take home .They will be very happy to see you and highly amused that you want to take their pictures! It really is the most magnificent sight and it is as if time has stood still.
Make sure you have a visit to the local school, Tarabil School and it’s well worth while to stop at a local shop to buy some books, pencils and pens for the school, which you can then deliver. A few footballs also go down well! The school currently has 400 children (150 girls and 250 boys). They are trying to raise money to build more classrooms, so that the older girls can be in separate class rooms, which means that more parents will send their daughters to school if they can be educated separately to the boys. By visiting Sudan, you are helping support this school.
Take a visit to see the ruins of the Royal City of Meroe, which are on the banks of the Nile, part of which still may have flood water from the Nile. The city was the capital of the Kushite Kingdom and may have had a population of around 25,000 in its day. The city was abandoned in around AD350 following the decline of the Kushite power. Also amid the ruins are the royal baths.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore – Dream – Discover - Mark Twain - You can view clips of some of our own favourite discoveries here.
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By Marcela Kunova - 20th April 2017
Nicola Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, organises unusual trips for HNW and UHNW clients ranging from birthday parties at an Indian Maharajah's palace to reliving Sir Vivian Fuchs's 1950s expedition to the South Pole. Citywealth caught ...
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